3-D printing stocks retreat after Amazon joins the fray

There are so many cool things you could make with a 3-D printer, like this drum set on display at the last Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.

So it\’s not surprising that Amazon
has climbed aboard the 3-D printing bandwagon with the launch of a store that would let consumers buy customized 3-D printed products.

The store offers consumers a chance to buy “200 unique print on-demand products, many that can be customized by material, size, styles and color variations, and personalized with text and image imprints,” Amazon said.

But praise for the company\’s efforts didn\’t translate into gains Monday, as shares of major 3-D printer makers retreated. ExOne Co.
was down 2.6%, while Stratasys
slipped 1.5% and 3D Systems
shed 1%.

Petra Schindler-Carter, Amazon’s director of marketplace sales, said the store “suggests the beginnings of a shift in online retail — that manufacturing can be more nimble to provide an immersive customer experience.”

Worries about demand for 3-D printers have weighed on the stocks recently. ExOne and 3D Systems have fallen more than 40% year-to-date, while Stratasys has shed 24%.

But Amazon’s 3-D printing news could prove to be a game-changer for these companies.

The company is partnering with consumer-focused 3-D printer makers, such as Sculpteo and 3DLT. Initially, Amazon’s plan is to be a kind of front-end system for these companies, but Jensen said that could change if the store is successful.

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“Once you get high volumes and scales, then it makes sense for Amazon to buy [3-D printing] machines,” which would be good news for such companies as 3D Systems and Stratasys, he told MarketWatch.

“There’s no impact right now,” he added. “It’s more of a validation of the industry. There are so many people coming into this space and when you get these companies validating the technology, it’s good for the sector.”

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